Archaeologists discovered Phaedra’s richly decorated house in Pompeii

Archaeologists have discovered a small but elaborately decorated house in the ancient city of Pompeii, known as the House of Phaedra, rich in detailed frescoes of erotic themes and mythological scenes. The Archaeological Park of Pompeii announced the discoveries, emphasizing their importance for public understanding of archaeology.

Phaedra’s house is located on the island of chaste lovers in the central part of Pompeii. Despite its modest size, the dwelling “strikes us for the high level of wall decoration,” according to the Pompeii Archaeological Park. The walls are “lavishly decorated” and the quality of the frescoes is comparable to that found in much larger and more luxurious houses nearby.

One of the most vivid frescoes depicts Phaedra in poor clothes next to Hippolytus, illustrating her tragic love for her stepson. According to Greek legend, Phaedra fell in love with Hippolytus, who rejected her courtship. In response, Phaedra accused him of rape after he rejected her, leading to a series of tragic events. Another fresco depicts the gods believed to be Venus and Adonis, reproducing the themes of love, beauty and fate that resonate throughout mythological lore.

The vivid wall paintings also include depictions of a symplegma—a sexual encounter between a satyr and a nymph—a frequent motif symbolizing the wild, untamed forces of nature in Greek and Roman mythology. Other images from a wide repertoire of Greco-Roman imagery were found in the beautifully decorated walls of Phaedra’s House, demonstrating the Romans’ deep fascination with Greek fairy tales.

The building lacks a central open courtyard, known as the “atrium,” a characteristic feature of Roman architecture. This extraordinary discovery sheds light on the changing architectural styles of the first century AD. Experts suggest that the lack of a traditional Roman atrium suggests that Pompeii’s residents did not care about showing off their wealth, as the building still displays a high level of decoration. Atriums were key elements of large buildings in ancient Rome and indicated wealth.

Gabriel Zuchtrigel, director of the archaeological park, noted that the excavation process “takes place under the eyes of the public”, who can access the site via suspended walkways and watch the archaeologists at work. The project resulted in the construction of a series of elevated walkways that allow the public to walk and view the excavated area while watching the excavation process. This approach is “an example of community or circular archaeology,” based on a discernible process of preservation, research, management, access, and use that form a “virtuous scheme,” Zuchtrigel emphasized.

Another part of the recently excavated house in the family temple, known as the “lararium”, still contains the last ritual sacrifices left before the eruption of Vesuvius. Among the items were a colorless ceramic censer with antique holes and a lamp, both with obvious signs of burning. Laboratory analyzes made it possible to identify the remains of sprigs of fragrant essences. Flowers were brought around the altar.

A small lararium was found in the yard – an altar, richly painted and decorated with plant and animal motifs on a white background, including birds of prey, sparrows, snakes, plant motifs. The lararium above shows a bird of prey in flight, probably an eagle, holding a palm branch in its claws. At the bottom, the main scene consists of two snakes facing each other, framing an altar with a circular axis on which the sacrifices are placed. The scene is completed by two bushes with red and yellow fruits, above which three sparrows move.

Two bands of colored marble were found on the surface of the altar in the lararium, together with a third element, probably of red marble, representing a face “belonging to the Dionysian sphere, probably Silenus.” A red marble element represents a face “belonging to the Dionysian sphere, probably Silenus.” Archaeologists also identified a quadrangular marble base with a central body at the front of the altar.

The courtyard has a covered area that leads to a large basin with walls painted red, around which “a channel allowed rainwater to flow to the mouth of a well connected to a cistern below.” The window next to the small painting of Hippolytus and Phaedra opens onto this small courtyard where construction work was going on during the eruption of Vesuvius.

Stay up to date with the latest news!

Subscribe to the Jerusalem Post newsletter

In AD 79, after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii was covered in volcanic ash, which killed thousands of Romans who had no idea they were living in the shadow of one of Europe’s largest volcanoes. The eruption buried the city in a thick layer of ash, preserving many of its inhabitants and buildings. These layers perfectly preserved the city for thousands of years, revealing lavish decorations in buildings, even those lacking traditional Roman atriums.

Pompeii offers an unprecedented glimpse into the daily life of the Romans, displaying the strikingly vivid remains of the city’s total devastation following a violent volcanic eruption. The ancient Roman city is known for its unique houses and people that survived the eruption, making it one of Italy’s most popular tourist destinations.

The House of Phaedra is further proof that the people of Pompeii had an appetite for sensual art. Spicy scenes were present in the homes of all walks of life and public places in Pompeii. Such scenes in Pompeii were not perceived as scandalous or shameful. Previously, elaborate frescoes with similar erotic themes were found in Pompeii, notably in the House of the Vettii, which reopened to visitors in 2023 after being closed for 20 years.

In 2018, another fresco depicting an erotic scene from the Greek myth “Leda and the Swan” was discovered. Other wall art in Phaedra’s House includes wonderfully vibrant depictions of animals and nature, as well as numerous smaller, detailed and beautifully preserved patterns and scenes from nature.

Sources: The Guardian, CNN Arabic, Helsingin Sanomat, LaVanguardia, 20 minutos

This article was written in collaboration with the generating company Alchemiq